SCRANTON – Alexa McHugh raced out of the pitching circle and into the arms of third baseman Madisyn Antal.
The biggest Upper Perkiomen threat of the day had just ended in a flash in one of the few examples of the Pittston Area senior needing defensive help to open the PIAA Class 5A softball tournament with a no-hitter.
McHugh returned from the brief celebration to get the final out.
She took care of that one herself.
McHugh’s 10th strikeout, on a day when she also had five assists by fielding groundballs, finished off Pittston Area’s 4-0 victory over Upper Perkiomen Monday at the University of Scranton’s Magis Field.
“She makes amazing plays,” McHugh said of Antal’s play for the second out of the seventh inning. “It’s crazy. You know she always has your back.
“She makes the routine one and the ones where they almost take her face off.”
Catcher Morgan Lindsay, the only Upper Perkiomen player to send two balls to the outfield against McHugh, scorched a line drive in her third at-bat. Before fans cheering for a no-hitter could gasp, it was already tucked away in the glove of Antal, who made the quick reaction necessary to be an effective third baseman.
“She had hit the ball hard the past two at-bats,” McHugh said. “I needed to elevate that a little bit, but my third baseman behind me made an amazing play.
“My defense behind me is outstanding.”
McHugh made sure Pittston Area did not have to prove that often.
Through six innings, five of the fielders,including Antal, had not touched the ball. McHugh pitched to catcher Bailey Loyack and threw out runners to first baseman Bernadette Loyack while getting help from left fielder Shayla Williams.
The toughest play through six innings was McHugh’s quick move to a bunt up the first-base line by Lynnsi Joyce leading off the sixth.
The hardest hit ball, by Kelsey Bernhart, had been tracked down a few strides into foul territory by Williams to end the second.
McHugh was perfect for 5 1/3 innings before allowing her only base runner. Sierra Fretz reached on a walk when a 2-1 pitch from McHugh was just high and the 3-2 pitch just outside.
“Now I get to play on my birthday,” said McHugh, who will be 18 Thursday when Pittston Area plays West Chester East, the District 1 champion, which improved to 23-2 with an 11-1 five-inning romp over Waynesboro.
Pittston Area – and McHugh – remained unscored on in three playoff games to make the state quarterfinals for the second straight season. The Patriots (20-3) had never won a District 2 title prior to last season’s championship.
“I tell people, she’s one of the best pitchers in the state and she’s showing it right now,” said Pittston Area coach Vito Quaglia, who is leaving the team when the season is over because of a change in his primary job. “That’s a good team. District 1 is very powerful and even though they were a number-three seed, they can play.
“They had a lot of quality players on that team and she kept them off balance.”
McHugh also had two hits and scored a run in what the senior believed was her first no-hitter on the high school level.
Antal and Williams also supported her offensively, providing the only run she needed with extra-base hits in the bottom of the second inning.
After Antal led off with by lining a triple over the right fielder’s head, Upper Perkiomen pitcher Lilyanna Dibble got two outs. Williams then sent a double to the fence in the left-field corner for a 1-0 lead.
“When I was up there, there were two outs and a runner on third, I just knew I had to do my job,” Williams said. “I love inside pitches. That’s my favorite kind of pitch.
“So, once I got that, I said, ‘Oh, I’m driving this.’”
Freshman Tori Para drove in a run and scored one.
Lexi Felinski and McHugh singled to start the fourth inning. Antal was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Para and Morgan Mesaris then delivered RBI singles as the first five batters reached in the inning.
Upper Perkiomen escaped further damage in the inning on a day when Pittston Area stranded two runners at third base and one at second base and had three runners erased on the bases after they got into scoring position.
The Patriots, who finished with 10 hits, scored their final run in the sixth. Para walked, Mesaris singled for her second hit and Bernadette Lieback singled to drive in Para.
PIAA Class 5A First Round
Pittston Area 4, Upper Perkiomen 0
Upper Perkiomen`AB`R`H`BI
Banner cf`3`0`0`0
Sullivan rf`3`0`0`0
Lindsay c`3`0`0`0
Freer ss`3`0`0`0
Fretz 1b`1`0`0`0
Bernhart 3b`2`0`0`0
Gooch dp`2`0`0`0
Dibble p`0`0`0`0
Joyce lf`2`0`0`0
Kooser 2b`2`0`0`0
Totals`21`0`0`0
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
GPara cf`4`0`1`0
Felinski 2b`3`1`1`0
McHugh p`3`1`2`0
Antal 3b`2`1`1`0
TPara ss`2`1`1`1
Mesaris dp`3`0`2`1
Kivler rf`0`0`0`0
Williams lf`2`0`1`1
Lieback 1b`3`0`1`1
Loyack c`3`0`0`0
Totals`25`4`10`4
2B – Williams. 3B – Antal.
Upper Perkiomen`000`000`0`—`0
Pittston Area`010`201`x`—`4
Upper Perkiomen`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Dibble (L)`6`10`4`4`0`0
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
McHugh (W)`7`0`0`0`1`10
